Acquia, a Drupal-based open source content management system provider, named Michael Sullivan as Chief Executive Officer, effective in December 2017. Acquia has been searching for a new CEO since its former CEO Tom Erickson announced six months ago, that he would step down from his role when a new business partner is found. To determine their new CEO, Acquia's board of directors screened over 140 candidates and interviewed 10 in-depth. While they were in the search for a new CEO, the enterprise software company has tried an unconventional management style namely “an Office of the CEO” where Erickson and co-founder Dries Buytaert jointly run Acquia.

Following the announcement, I reached out to the newly appointed CEO to learn what attracted him to Acquia as a career opportunity: "As a Boston native, I have always known Acquia to be a prominent and respected tech leader. When I was introduced to Dries, it became clear that we shared an excitement for the future of technology and the content management world. I’m thrilled to join a company that has a winner’s DNA, and is poised for huge growth as it tackles the evolving market of digital experience," said Sullivan. I also wanted to hear what the areas of focus will be within his new role to address any challenges he feels Acquia customers are facing. Sullivan told me that "Acquia is already on track to address the major demands of brands looking to deliver engaging digital experiences. Dries and the team have a vision for building intelligent digital experiences leveraging emerging technology. My role will be focused on bringing that strategy to life—ensuring sound execution so that Acquia is able to turn vision to reality."